If you want to edit your build process and utilize some of the custom activities in the Community TFS Build Extensions. You may be finding it tough to drag the activity into your Workflow. Or Intellisense may not be working like you saw in that demo. Below are the steps to help you create a project to store your custom build processes and easily edit them.
First Download the Community TFS Build Extensions and copy them into a folder in source control. I like to put them in a folder under the BuildProcessTemplates folder created from your Process Template, called Custom Activities.
For example: $/ObjectSharp Projects/BuildProcessTemplates/CustomActivities
You need to make sure the build server knows where to find these so Change the Build Controller property Version control path to custom assemblies to this location in source control. You can get to it by right clicking on the Builds node in Team Explorer and selecting Manage Build Controllers. Select the Controller and click the properties button.
Make a copy of the Build Process Template that you want to edit and make sure it’s in the BuildProcessTemplates folder under source control.
- Add the Custom activities to your toolbox.
in Visual Studio select Tools | Choose Toolbox Items… from the main menu.
On the System.Activities Components tab browse for the TFSBuildExtentions.Activities.dll and add it.
- Create a new Class Library Project
Delete the Class1.cs that gets created.
Add the following references to the project:
From the .Net tab on the Add Reference dialog:
Microsoft.TeamFoundation
Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Client
Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client
Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Common
System.Activities
From C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies
Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.dll
Microsoft.TeamFoundation.TestImpact.BuildIntegration.dll
From where ever you installed it on your machine
TFSBuildExtensions.Activities
- Add the Build Process Template to the project.
Right click on the project and select Add | Existing Item… from the context menu.
Navigate to the build process template you want to edit
Click on the arrow next to the add button to select Add As Link
Now you can work on your build process in place from within a project so you have all the references you need to drag activities in and have the benefit of intelitrace.